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☆ Nonstop partying, lavish spending, and sexual-harassment accusations: Inside the self-destruction of Pollen, the music startup once worth $800 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Melkorka Licea | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +41 min

About 400 Pollen employees were camped out in Mendocino County, California, for five straight days of partying. Two former Pollen employees told Insider that they recalled the assistant telling them about Callum's inappropriate comments at the time. (The Pollen representative said Callum and Bedi didn't date at Pollen or at any other company connected to Pollen. Out of 360 events Pollen announced over the past 12 months, 39 were canceled, the Pollen representative said. (The Pollen representative said that "out of hundreds of thousands of customers, fewer than 100 people were moderated" online.)

☆ The Year in Pictures 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +57 min

Every year, starting in early fall, photo editors at The New York Times begin sifting through the year’s work in an effort to pick out the most startling, most moving, most memorable pictures. But 2022 undoubtedly belongs to the war in Ukraine, a conflict now settling into a worryingly predictable rhythm. Erin Schaff/The New York Times “When you’re standing on the ground, you can’t visualize the scope of the destruction. Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25. We see the same images over and over, and it’s really hard to make anything different.” Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 26.

A Culture in theCross Hairs Russia’s invasion has systematically destroyed Ukrainian cultural sites. It has also dealt a grievous blow to Ukrainian culture: to its museums and monuments, its grand universities and rural libraries, its historic churches and contemporary mosaics. This is how empires always work.” The war in Ukraine is a culture war, and the extent of the destruction is becoming clearer. Kyiv Sviatohirsk UKRAINE Damaged or destroyed religious sites Areas controlled by Russia at any time since invasion. Kyiv Sviatohirsk UKRAINE Damaged or destroyed religious sites Areas controlled by Russia at any time since invasion.

☆ Morning Bid: Hawk-eyed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde's forceful hawkish rhetoric has played Grinch, with little sign yet of a Santa rally as we head towards Christmas and the New Year. And so, investors will parse every inch of economic data coming through in the near term to gauge inflationary pressures and recessionary signals, with flash PMI data from the Eurozone and the UK on deck for the day. Of course, the worry remains on what the audit is likely to reveal, and that has put a lid on gains for these stocks. "Some time away from Twitter is good for the soul," Musk tweeted. loadingKey developments that could influence markets on Friday:Economic events: Nov UK retail sales, Flash PMI data for UK, Eurozone, Sweden's unemployment rate for NovemberReporting by Ankur Banerjee; Editing by Edmund KlamannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

CNN —Grant Wahl, the American soccer reporter who collapsed and died while covering the World Cup in Qatar last week, died of an aortic aneurysm that ruptured, his wife, Dr. Celine Gounder, said Wednesday. Wahl, a longtime college basketball and soccer reporter for Sports Illustrated and for his own newsletter, collapsed while covering Friday’s Argentina-Netherlands match and was later declared dead. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta – the large artery that carries blood from the heart to the chest. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said an aortic aneurysm is generally rare and difficult to spot. He added that he sought help at the clinic at the World Cup media center, believing he had bronchitis.

☆ Photos show disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried cuffed in Bahamas on his way to jail
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

TOPSHOT - FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (C) is led away handcuffed by officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force in Nassau, Bahamas on December 13, 2022. - Disgraced cryptocurrency tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried was hit with multiple criminal charges December 13, 2022, accused of committing one of the biggest financial frauds in US history. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (2nd L) is led away handcuffed by officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force in Nassau, Bahamas on December 13, 2022. Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX, left, and his mother Barbara Fried at the Magistrate's Court in Nassau, Bahamas, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. Bankman-Fried was denied bail by a judge, leaving the disgraced co-founder of crypto giant FTX behind bars.

The biggest event of her life — her Sweet 16 — was due to start in a few hours. “I have anxiety and today ... i didn’t get as nervous maybe cause I’m not speaking to anyone but hands are a little shaky.”Angie documenting her Sweet 16 makeup artist’s skills. As Henriquez’s sole daughter, Angie was the family’s uncontested diva, its “only queen” — a girl who seemed to have left the Bronx all but physically. As her 16th birthday approached, she resisted the idea of a Sweet 16. Angie lighting her Sweet 16 candles with, from left, her brothers, Fidel and Angel, and her stepbrother, Cameron.

☆ Peru declares state of emergency, seeks 18-months jail for Castillo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] Peruvian President Pedro Castillo addresses the audience during the opening of the VII Ministerial Summit on Government and Digital Transformation of the Americas, in Lima, Peru on November 10, 2022. The protests were sparked by the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo on Dec. 7 in an impeachment vote. Prosecutors on Wednesday said they were seeking 18 months of pretrial detention for Castillo, who has been charged with rebellion and conspiracy. He called on supporters to come to the jail, saying he should be released after the initial seven-day period of pretrial detention expires later on Wednesday. However, sources from the prosecutor's office and analysts said Castillo cannot be released while the Supreme Court resolves the prosecutors' request.

In one study, researchers reported a link between screen time and higher rates of obsessive-compulsive disorder diagnoses among preteens. The studies, published in separate journals on Monday, followed their young participants to observe the effects of screen time over months or years. Researchers logged how much time the kids spent on devices and found that 4.4% qualified for a new OCD diagnosis. The researchers noted that they found an association between OCD and streaming videos on devices but not with traditional television-watching. “Just because their kid is playing video games doesn’t mean they’re definitely going to develop OCD,” he said.

☆ Angelo Badalamenti, ‘Twin Peaks’ composer, dies at 85
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Angelo Badalamenti, the composer behind several beloved soundtracks, including David Lynch’s cult hit “Twin Peaks,” has died at 85. Badalamenti and Lynch worked together for decadesBefore he was a film composer, the Brooklyn-born Badalamenti was a musical jack-of-all-trades. “I tried to make the music have a haunting feeling,” Badalamenti said in 2019 of his “Twin Peaks” score. Film writer Scott Tobias remembered the immediate impact of watching “Twin Peaks” for the first time and recognizing it was something special. “One of the greatest.”Kyle MacLachlan, who played the unusual, coffee-loving Agent Dale Cooper on “Twin Peaks,” called Badalamenti a “brilliant and talented maestro who was a master at setting a mood.

☆ Julie Andrews probably won’t return for ‘Princess Diaries’ sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —It doesn’t appear that we will see Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in any new “Princess Diaries” sequels. The legendary actress sounded doubtful about appearing in “Princess Diaries 3” if it happens. “And I am that much older and Annie the princess, or queen, is so much older. A sequel, “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,” was released in 2004. “I got to hug Julie Andrews every day,” Hathaway said.

☆ Viktor Bout praises Putin, enjoys celebrity status after Griner exchange
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

He has since given high-profile interviews to state media and on Monday appeared on stage at a political event as he joined an ultranationalist party. Viktor Bout on a plane in Abu Dhabi before departing for Russia on Thursday. Russian media also showed him walking off a plane in Moscow, where relatives waiting with flowers embraced him. AFP - Getty ImagesSince his return home, Bout has given a pair of interviews to Maria Butina on the state-run TV channel RT. Like Butina, who was elected to the State Duma last year, Bout spared no time kicking off a potential political career.

☆ Tantrums: Screens hurt kids' emotional regulation, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Frequently using digital devices to distract from unpleasant and disruptive behavior like tantrums was associated with more emotional dysregulation in kids — particularly boys and children who were already struggling with emotional regulation, according to the study. It can be helpful for caregivers to help kids name their emotions and offer solutions when they are responding inappropriately to those feelings, she said. To reinforce it, adults can talk about their own emotions in terms of colors in front of their kids, Radesky said. And there is some content that can help teach emotional regulation when your tank is empty. The study isn’t saying to never distract a child with media, but rather to keep your go-to tools ones that encourage emotional regulation, Radesky said.

☆ 6 Uber and Lyft drivers share their wildest holiday work tales, from drunk passengers to extreme tips
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Jenny Powers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Christmas can be a busy season for Uber and Lyft drivers taking passengers to their families' homes. Shelly Castle, 43, a Lyft driver in Houston, Texas: 'They wound up inviting me in and treating me to breakfast'Shelly Castle. Jonathan Gaurano, 29, an Uber driver in Los Angeles, California: 'I hatched a plan and set out to create an epic compilation video'Jonathan Gaurano. While this wasn't the first video I'd created incorporating Uber passengers, it was certainly my most popular. Bunny Rivera, 35, an Uber driver in Washington, DC: 'They refused to not give up and began chanting'Bunny Rivera and her son.

☆ No food in 9 days for 19 Nevada prisoners on hunger strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

About a dozen people had gathered to show support for the Ely prisoners on the ninth day of their hunger strike. According to the Department of Corrections, two dozen people were participating in the hunger strike as of Friday morning. Marcus Kelley hugs Nina Fernandez, mother of one of the prisoners participating in the Ely State Prison hunger strike, during a rally in Las Vegas, on Dec. 9, 2022. In a statement released hours after the Las Vegas protest, William Gittere, acting director of the Nevada prison system, announced a policy change to “administrative sanctions” in light of the hunger strike. Prior to the hunger strike, prisoners could be punished with “concurrent” sanctions, meaning multiple privileges might be taken from a prisoner at the same time, the statement said.

Every year since I was a teenager, my mom has asked what I wanted for Christmas. After all, my reasoning doesn’t seem to require us to engage in, say, the Socratic method. Maybe the pressure to buy Christmas gifts for anyone is a farce, a scheme created by capitalism to get us to spend, spend, spend on things we don’t want or need. They accept whatever bad (based on how little they use them) gifts I buy for them. But I’m tired of participating in a capitalistic sham, and I’m tired of giving Christmas gifts my family and friends don’t want.

☆ A 6-year-old said she was happy her mom lost her Meta job because it meant they could 'spend more time together'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A 6-year-old was happy her mother lost her Meta job as they could "spend more time together." She told Insider she loved her job, but her daughter's response helped her process the news. Shelly Kalish, who joined Facebook in June last year, was among the 11,000 employees affected by the Meta layoffs last month. Later that day, Kalish took her youngest daughter for a walk and told her that she'd lost her job. The six-year-old also said: "I'm sorry you lost your job.

☆ I trained an AI chatbot on my childhood journal entries to talk to my inner child. It felt like I was reaching into the past and giving her a giant hug.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Michelle Huang used OpenAI GPT-3 Playground to create an inner child chatbot as an experiment. That interaction felt very similar to a normal texting conversation, as if I were texting my past self in real time. I told her that she was loved, cared for, and safe: the words that my past self always wanted to hear. Hearing my inner child say "I'm proud of you" was healing. I tweeted a tutorial for how to create your own inner child chatbot for anyone who wants to replicate the experiment.

WNBA star Brittney Griner arrived back in the United States early Friday after being freed from Russian custody, bringing a nearly yearlong ordeal to an end. Eric Gay / APIn earlier video, Russian media had showed Griner crossing paths with Bout after walking off a Russian plane in Abu Dhabi, where she was met by a U.S. official during the exchange. President Joe Biden, who said he approved the deal that saw Griner freed, said Thursday that she had been "held under intolerable circumstances." In a written statement Thursday night, the Griner family thanked Biden, his administration and others for their efforts. Whelan’s family said they had been told by the Biden administration in advance that he would not be part of the prisoner swap Thursday that freed Griner.

☆ Jim Beam offers novel fix for holiday blues: hug-simulating pajamas
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Bourbon brand Jim Beam is offering what could possibly be the weirdest gift for the holidays — hug-simulating pajamas. The unisex red flannel “Kentucky Hug” PJ set looks like your basic comfy plaid pajamas, with one exception. This helps foster that spirit of connection, no matter your proximity to your people,” said Matt Plumb, senior director of marketing for North American Whiskey at Beam Suntory, maker of Jim Beam. JIm Beam is selling hug-simulating pajamas for the holidays. Jim BeamSo why are they called “Kentucky hug” pajamas?

☆ Imperious Brazil smash Koreans 4-1 to reach quarters
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Ossian Shine | Nelson Acosta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

EFFERVESCENT IN ATTACKIf the Koreans were winded by that early blow, worse was to come. Five minutes later Richarlison was hauled down in the penalty box and the referee instantly pointed to the spot. Brazil were effervescent in attack and organised in defence, restricting the South Koreans to long shots. Brazil had too much quality up front, and were being given far too much space. That Brazil went in only 4-0 up was as much to do with their profligacy as anything the Koreans could muster in terms of defence.

☆ Cristiano Ronaldo denies he swore at Portugal coach over substitution
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Ronaldo, Portugal’s captain, said the comments he made as he left the field in the 65th minute were in fact aimed at a South Korean player. “What happened was before my substitution, the South Korea player told me to get off quickly. The 37-year-old is seeking to equal the Portuguese record of most World Cup goals held by Eusebio, who racked up nine in 1966 in England, the only World Cup tournament he played in. Fu Tian/China News Service/Getty ImagesSantos, asked by reporters about the substitution incident, also said a South Korean player had been aggressive in his comments towards the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. We wanted to go through with a win, we wanted to go through playing good football to keep boosting our confidence,” Santos said.

☆ Ronaldo denies he swore at Portugal coach over substitution
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ronaldo, Portugal's captain, said the comments he made as he left the field in the 65th minute were in fact aimed at a South Korean player. The 37-year-old is seeking to equal the Portuguese record of most World Cup goals held by Eusebio, who racked up nine in 1966 in England, the only World Cup tournament he played in. Santos, asked by reporters about the substitution incident, also said a South Korean player had been aggressive in his comments towards the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Ronaldo was kept largely at bay by South Korea's defence in the Asians' last-gasp victory over Portugal that sent Uruguay out of the World Cup. We wanted to go through with a win, we wanted to go through playing good football to keep boosting our confidence," Santos said.

☆ Colorado governor visits shooting site as community heals
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — In a crowded brewery, Colorado Gov. Fierro squeezed Wyatt Kent, a drag queen whose 23rd birthday was being celebrated the night of the shooting, and chatted with his family. Club Q’s community had been a steadfast support network, said Kent, one which has continued to undergird the community’s healing since the tragedy. “If I pour myself out into others they will pour themselves out back into me,” said Kent, “and that’s what this community has always done.”The broader Colorado Springs community is pouring out support for the survivors, too. “Club Q will be back and the community will be back,” he said.

☆ Here are the 5 things you should do when you get a bad performance review and your boss isn't in your corner
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Insider spoke with career experts about the steps you should take after you get a bad review. "But if your manager isn't in your corner — isn't aligned with you and isn't trying to help you advance — it can be really stressful and deflating." Insider spoke with Elias and other career experts about the five steps you should take after you get a bad review. A line-by-line rebuttal isn't wise, but Layfield said that some well-reasoned (and polite) counterarguments that debunk or weaken your boss' assessment might be warranted. "Look for things that are within your control that your boss can't take away from you," she said.

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